The Central Otago District Council's hearings panel will today consider an application from Canyon Vineyard Ltd for a function centre on a 21.25ha site off Bendigo Loop Rd that could also host concerts of up to 4000 people; and another application from Bendigo Station for a rural subdivision within a 178ha block that includes the historic Bendigo schoolhouse.
Hearings panel chairman Neil Gillespie said it was coincidence two applications for large projects in such a remote part of Central Otago were being heard on the same day by the panel.
"But in the world of planning applications, nothing really surprises me, to be honest.''
Mr Gillespie said the Bendigo applications were of note not because of the hearings process they would now follow, which followed set protocols, but because they showed the "district-wide phenomenon'' of increasing development throughout Central Otago.
"There is development of all sorts being considered all around the place ... They [the applications] show the range of development that people are doing.''
A report from council planning consultant David Whitney about the Canyon Vineyard Ltd application says the large, infrequent concerts proposed for the site should not be permitted, but wine tastings and functions for up to 385 people should be.
Canyon Vineyard, owned by Hayden Johnston, of Dunedin, also wants to have more than 30 helicopter landings and take-offs a month at its function centre, housed in a building which was originally the Big Picture wine-tasting venue at Cromwell and then the Nose Restaurant at Highlands Motorsport Park.
Mr Johnston said he had so far spent $1million on the proposal.
A report from Mr Whitney about the Bendigo Station subdivision recommends it be permitted, with conditions.
The 14-lot subdivision is within the historic Bendigo mining area.
Ten of the proposed lots would be sold as rural lifestyle blocks,two would be retained for expanded vineyard areas; one would be a common area of 20.89ha incorporating the historic Bendigo schoolhouse; and the last would be a 105.22ha area retained by Bendigo Station for the handling and movement of stock.
